Flowers & Bullets is a local organization and farm that’s all about reclaiming and amplifying “cultural roots through sustainability, art, and rebellion to liberate, heal, and empower the community.”

Last week, on Wednesday, February 8 around 9 p.m., a fire broke out inside the north wing of the former Julia Keen Elementary School, which is now known as the Midtown Farm.

“While there is an ongoing investigation into what caused the fire, we understand it to be the result of systemic inequities and decades of divestment in communities of color and low-income neighborhoods,” Flowers & Bullets released in a statement. “The damage of the fire has caused a safety hazard that requires immediate demolition and remediation. TUSD now feels pressured to sell the property to Flowers & Bullets after two years of the prolonged negotiation process.”

“We have been stewards of the land since 2016 and now we would like to lead and move forward with the purchase of the property. Due to the fire, the timeline to purchase the property has shortened and our costs have increased. We are launching a fundraiser today to raise $150k so we can cover the cost to demolish and create structures that promote a safe space for our community.”

If you’d like to offer some support to Flowers & Bullets, they currently have an online fundraiser.

“We want to thank every single person who has reached out and offered their support,” the organization mentioned in the statement. “Your kind messages, best wishes, and willingness to help feels like a gentle hug during these anxious times.

Flowers and Bullets is a grassroots collective that got its start back in 2012, and strive to create outlets for the community, highlighting the “life we live and the places that we come from.”

By sharing skills, promoting place-based connections in the barrio, and listening to each other’s stories, Flowers & Bullets promotes sustainable ways of living. Flowers & Bullets became 501(c)3 in 2020 and all contributions are tax-deductible.

“Flowers are the art and bullets are the struggle.”

For more information and to donate, visit givebutter.com.